Importance of Solar Plexus

Solar Plexus which is located behind the belly button or the Navel is the central location of the body according to various theories. This is known as Nabhila in Sanskrit and Nabhi in Hindi and Bengali. This is located approximately at the center of the body. Importance of the Solar Plexus increases due to the fact that one of the chakras also known as Manipur Chakra is also located at this location. Navel center is associated with the balance in emotions. You might have seen that when you get afraid or hear some sudden sad or shocking news you tend to feel hollowness in the stomach as if that region has lost strength and sensitivity. This is beause of the imbalance created in the Solar Plexus. Depending the situation or the type of imbalance created different people can suffer from different symptoms. Some people start having loose motions also while other suffer from constipation. Apart from these physical symptoms there can be emotional disturbances like depression, therefore it is important to maintain the balance in the Solar Plexus.

There is a term in Hindi which is known as "Nabhi Talna" which can be roughly translated to imbalance in the Solar Plexus. It is known as disturbance of Solar Plexus. When this happens, it creates problems like constant and acute abdomen pain. If Solar Plexus is disturbed, energy center moves either above or below the navel. In case of upward movement, constipation happens and in case of downward movement, loose motions happen. Usually in case of Solar Plexux imbalance digestive system is affected the most physically. Although modern medical science does not believe in this phenomenon, but most Indians believe in this and I have practically seen it happening. Even when people are suffering for a long time setting the Solar Plexus back can miraculously cure the pain in very short time and people get well in half a day.

Reasons for Solar Plexus Shifting
As mentioned above Solar Plexus can shift due to emotional disturbance or also while lifting weight. People who lack core strength are prone to this more than people with strong core.

Indications of Solar Plexus Imbalance
Join both your palms together and try to match the lines of both palms and base of the little fingers with each other. If the top lines do not match it indicates imbalance in solar plexus. Another method is to make the patient lie on a flat surface and joint the toes of both the feet together. If there is imbalance then the one of the toes will be taller than the other.

Problems Due to Solar Plexus Shifting
Sometimes Solar Plexus shifts are confused with hiatus hernias due to wrong diagnosis. Apart from the acute abdomen pain patients experience heartburn and regurgitation, when stomach acid reaches the esophagus. Sometimes the upward movement of the Solar Plexus compresses the diaphram which the protective layer around the heart and it may be wrongly thought that there is some problem in the heart.

Setting Solar Plexus
There are few different kinds of techniques which can set the Solar Plexus back properly.

1. Make the patient lie down on a flat surface. Join the feet together. One of the feet would be lower than the other. Hold the toe which is lower with one hand and pull the toe while holding the foot with the other hand. Pull it two or three times. Do it twice or thice a day.

2. Another technique which is used is creating vacuum for setting the Solar Plexus back. Make the patient lie on a flat surface with the navel exposed. Place a burning lamp on the Navel and carefully cover it with a glass tumbler. After sometime all the oxygen will be burnt up in the glass and the lamp will be extinguished. This will create a vacuum and it will pull back the Solar Plexux back to normal position.

3. Amongst the asanas, Halasana is a good pose to set the solar plexus back to its position. Practicing Chaturang Dandasana strenghtens the core and helps avoid the problem.